Hello again,
We swopped a few e-mails over the last couple of years re our McGonagle side, and I think I've now worked out what the situation is. You mention that your William was from the townland of Keenaghan. I now believe that my great great grandfather, Edward McGonagle, was from the nearby townland Silverhill. Griffiths Valuation shows a William and Edward McGonagle as neighbours at Keenaghan, with quite a few acres between them. However, I am inclined to rule that Edward out as being my relative, as when he married he was living with his bride to be's family. He was more likely to have been the one shown in Griffiths at Silverhill with just over an acre.
My Edward married Ann Hegarty from the adjacent townland of Holyhill in 1865, and their eldest son, William Hegarty McGonagle, born 1865, was my great grandfather. William married a Bridget Carrick from Castlefinn, Co. Donegal, in 1895, and my grandfather, Michael McGonagle, was born in Strabane town in 1898 at 6 Factory Row, Strabane. His father, William, was a bread server in Strabane at that time. There does not appear to be any connection with families named Gormley or Boyle.
My Edward McGonagle was still alive in 1911 when he is shown in the Irish Census as living at Drumgauty, north of Strabane near to the Derry Road. His wife, Ann Hegarty, died sometime between 1901 and 1911, and from memory Edward died in 1913, presumably at Drumgauty in County Tyrone.
Hope this explains the issue with our possible McGonagle connection. We do not seem to be related to the same William McGonagle. With all those Williams and Edwards it is a bit of a nightmare, and I'm still not absolutely sure if I have the correct Edward in Griffiths Valuation. To make matters worse I know that Edward's father was yet another William McGonagle!
